Fragrant Fish Stew with Lime and Lemon Basil

(Ikan Kuning)

Sulawesi, Indonesia

Many of the seasonings regularly paired with fish in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore—lemongrass, lime juice, daun pandan and kaffir lime leaves, lemon basil, shallots, garlic, chiles, ginger, and galangal—are in this spicy-hot bouillabaisse-like stew. I got the recipe from Sufi, the mother of my friend Muhammad, who lives in Bau-Bau, in southern Sulawesi. By the time Sufi brought the stew to the table, she had tasted it at least eight times, checking for the right balance of sourness, saltiness, pungency, and herbs. “No one flavor should control this dish,” she said as she took a final taste. Although the precise combination of ingredients is particular to Sulawesi (formerly Celebes, where cooks have a passion for lemon basil and lots of lime juice), variations on stews like this are cooked everywhere in the Malay Archipelago. This dish should be eaten with rice; it’s too tart and intense without a starch to cushion it.

Making this stew is relatively straightforward. A whole fresh, medium-firm ocean fish, such as red snapper (on the East Coast of the United States) or rock cod (on the West), cut into thick, bone-in steaks, will work best (though freshwater tilapia is a good choice too). The head and tail should be included; they help intensify the broth. If you’re uncomfortable with cooking a whole fish (or if there aren’t any available), snapper, rock cod, or tilapia fillets can be substituted, but the overall flavor of the dish won’t be as deep. Don’t overcook the fish—the flesh should be firm and tight, not falling away from the bone or separating from the skin. Serve this dish in a low, wide bowl to show off the herbs, chunks of fish, and beautiful turmeric-yellow broth.

Makes 4 servings

2 pound (1 kg) whole red snapper or rock cod, including the head and tail, cleaned and cut into 2-inch-long pieces through the bone (5 cm; do not discard the head and tail), OR 1-3/4 pound (700 g) snapper, rock cod, or tilapia fillets or bone-in steaks
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

For the flavoring paste:
3 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2.5 ounces total, 75 g)
1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 to 5 fresh red Holland chiles or other fresh hot red long chiles, such as Fresno or cayenne, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 piece of fresh ginger, 1-1/2 inches (3.5 cm) long, peeled and finely sliced (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
1 piece of fresh or frozen galangal, 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, peeled and finely sliced (about 1 tablespoon; optional)
1 piece of fresh or frozen turmeric, 2 inches (5 cm) long, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 teaspoons), OR 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 fresh or frozen daun pandan leaves, cut into pieces 3 inches (8 cm) long (optional; see page 000)
3 stalks of fresh lemongrass, tied into a knot
8 whole fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
1-1/2 cups (340 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 whole stems of fresh lemon basil, Thai basil, or Italian basil, cut in half, plus about 10 stemmed leaves from one of the stems for garnish

1. In a nonreactive bowl roomy enough to hold the cut pieces of fish (including the head and tail, if using a whole fish), marinate the fish, unrefrigerated and uncovered, in the lime juice for 15 to 30 minutes. (This will help subdue any fishy taste the snapper or cod might have.) Turn the fish over a few times while it marinates to make sure the juice coats each piece evenly.

2. To make the flavoring paste, .place all the ingredients in a small food processor. Pulse until you have a completely smooth paste resembling creamy mashed potatoes, about 1 minute. (If the paste does not puree properly and repeatedly creeps up the side of the processor’s bowl instead of grinding, add up to 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, periodically turning the processor off and scraping the unground portions down toward the blade.)

3. Heat the oil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, Dutch oven, or soup pot over medium-low heat. Test to see if the oil is the right temperature by adding a pinch of the ground paste. The paste should sizzle slightly around the edges, not fry aggressively or sit motionless. When the oil is the correct temperature, add all the ground paste, daun pandan leaves (if using), tied lemongrass, and lime leaves. Sauté, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until you no longer smell raw shallots or garlic and the aroma of the daun pandan, lemongrass, and lime leaves takes over, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let the flavoring paste brown.

4. Add the fish (including the head and tail), along with all the lime-juice marinade. Stir gently to combine the fish with the flavoring paste. Add the water and raise the heat to medium. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Add the salt and stir well to combine. Adjust the heat to allow the liquid to remain at a steady, gentle simmer. Cook, occasionally turning the fish with a spatula or a large spoon, until the fish is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Test a piece of fish to make sure it’s done by piercing it at its thickest point; if it’s opaque, then it’s done. Be careful not to overcook the fish—it should not be falling apart. Also be careful not to break the fish pieces when you turn them. Taste the liquid for salt, and add more as needed.

5. Add the lemon basil stems, then gently transfer the fish, broth, and all the seasonings to a wide serving bowl.

6. Allow the fish to rest in the liquid for at least 10 minutes, to give the flavors time to develop. Just before serving, garnish with the lemon basil leaves. The lemon basil stems can be eaten (though they might be a bit chewy), but the other seasoning herbs aren’t intended to be. I leave them in the serving bowl—they look beautiful and let your guests see what has contributed to making the dish taste so great.